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2.13pm
23 January 2022
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That’s great to hear @Ron Nasty . I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on his books.
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Rube, penny laneMy hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
3.57am
18 September 2016
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This was one I listened to on audio, I have to confess. The audiobook comes in at around 43 hours of listening. I don’t mind hefty books at all but it’s an incredibly forensic love affair that Lewisohn has with the Beatles ( to our advantage) and maybe when I’m retired I will read the book.
I have a few others of his proper hooks, they are enjoyable reads despite the detail. Lots we already know of course, but he assembles it all with love and dedication; warts and all.
Looking forward to Vol II, on audio more than likely, only wish it was him narrating.
“I know, Jerry, that you are as human as the rest of us, if not more so."
5.04am
23 January 2022
Offline He has a lovely voice, but I’d rather he spend his time on volumes 2 and 3 
I think he should consider setting up a patreon account. I’m sure there are lots of fans who would like to support him while he works on the other volumes so he doesn’t have to interrupt himself by doing tours and things (if he doesn’t want to).
My hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
2.00am
18 September 2016
Offline meaigs said
He has a lovely voice, but I’d rather he spend his time on volumes 2 and 3[….]
Probably he feels the same
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meaigs
“I know, Jerry, that you are as human as the rest of us, if not more so."
2.31pm
23 January 2022
Offline I finished the second part of the extended edition, and I feel a bit bereft! Not least because I thought there was another 1000 or so pages (on my e-reader), but it was all index and references 
My hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
5.31pm
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1 May 2011
Offline There is definitely a feeling of depression when you get to the end; for me it was that the you had come all that way with the band, they were on the cusp of breaking Britain… and you have to stop reading. Amazon has the publication date as September 2015 which confused me as the timeline doesn’t work, turns out it was 2013. Wait . 2015 is paperback, 2013 is hardback which explains it.
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meaigs, Rube, savoy truffle"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.09pm
17 June 2021
Offline I have been reading the extended edition and it is no doubt that it’s one of the best books about The Beatles ever published. I’m currently up to 1956.
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meaigs, savoy truffle, Shamrock WomlbsWinner of Most Hardcore Beatles Bible Fan 2021
9.09pm
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1 May 2011
Offline For anyone who hasn’t given up hope of reading volume two in the next few years, Mark Lewinsohn has said
“‘Tune In’ came out in 2013, nine years ago, but – quite honestly – I still don’t know when book two will be finished,” he explains. “It’s really quite some challenge to dive into such a deep, wide and vast history and to assess, condense and relate it thrillingly on the page. It IS coming, and in every single second of every single day I’m aware that it’s for me to do. But what a task it is.
There comes a point where you stop researching in a bid to try to be in a position to write the definitive biography and just bloody write the damn thing. It’s slower than Paul’s Archive series which is saying something.
I might as well accept there will not be a volume three as there is no chance it’s coming in the next 15 years at this rate, possibly twenty.
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meaigs, Rube"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
11.41pm
23 January 2022
Offline I think he’s made a mistake trying to do it by himself for multiple reasons. It would obviously be much faster with help, but also, it would be a better historical record. Especially if he was working with historians.
My hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
12.15am
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17 December 2012
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He is the Beatles historian, @meaigs. Nobody close to him in the field.
His difficulty seems to be that he’s constantly finding new pieces of the history, and having to decide how important they are, and how they fit in.
He probably does use researchers on some aspects (he himself was a researcher on several books published by others), but the writing of the book has to be down to him. I definitely wouldn’t want it written by committee.
His big flaw seems to be that he doesn’t seem happy to set a deadline and say “I go with what I know at the point.” He has the problem that he finds something new and pushes back the deadline to work out how it fits into the story.
But it is wrong to suggest, if you were, that he isn’t a historian, and in his field he’s the world’s leading expert, and has been for around forty years. He’s the experts expert, the historians historian. That gets in the way, too much the perfectionist wanting it to be as right as it can be.
Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he were now to think he jumped the gun with Volume One as so much additional information has come to light since.
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Rube"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
12.55am
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1 May 2011
Offline Ron Nasty said
He is the Beatles historian, @meaigs. Nobody close to him in the field.His difficulty seems to be that he’s constantly finding new pieces of the history, and having to decide how important they are, and how they fit in.
He probably does use researchers on some aspects (he himself was a researcher on several books published by others), but the writing of the book has to be down to him. I definitely wouldn’t want it written by committee.
His big flaw seems to be that he doesn’t seem happy to set a deadline and say “I go with what I know at the point.” He has the problem that he finds something new and pushes back the deadline to work out how it fits into the story.
But it is wrong to suggest, if you were, that he isn’t a historian, and in his field he’s the world’s leading expert, and has been for around forty years. He’s the experts expert, the historians historian. That gets in the way, too much the perfectionist wanting it to be as right as it can be.
Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he were now to think he jumped the gun with Volume One as so much additional information has come to light since.
He’s not going to go back and update part one before releasing part one is he? Don’t put ideas into the air; the wait is long enough with him going forward, can’t deal if he goes into reverse.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.50am
23 January 2022
Offline I know historian isn’t a protected term like engineer, but his background is in research and journalism. I’m not sure he has any education in modern historical methods.
I’ve also heard him say on a podcast that he can’t afford assistants, but also doesn’t want to use them.
My hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
11.04pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline I think you are being quite dismissive of Lewisohn in your description of him @meaigs.
Any historian I know of is first and foremost a researcher, it’s the basis of being a historian. I also wouldn’t consider him to be a journalist in the basic meaning and understanding of the word. He has only ever been employed by three magazines — The Beatles Book Monthly which he contributed to during its second run that started with reprints of the originals in the mid-70s; Radio Times, where he largely wrote about comedy, and went on to write The Radio Times Book of TV Comedy; and Match of the Day, where he wrote about football.
His work was much more commentary than journalism.
Here is the opening paragraph of his Wikipedia entry…
Note he is described as an historian and biographer, not a researcher with a background in journalism.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
11.20pm
23 January 2022
Offline I don’t mean to be dismissive, @Ron Nasty . I think he’s done incredible work, and I devoured the extended edition of Tune In. There were some frustrating things about it though. For example, his unsympathetic attitude to Paul’s issues with money. He said “he kept his hand in his pocket” when discussing the fact that Paul didn’t buy a new instrument (he didn’t seem to give any thought to where Paul’s money might be going — like home to his father for example). I must admit I was taken aback by his casual racism against the Irish too.
The fact that Wikipedia calls him a historian only reflects the fact that he gets called that a lot. I’m still not convinced that the word is entirely accurate, but ymmv.
My hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
1.49am
6 May 2018
Offline I hope Mark Lewisohn is, at least, keeping detailed notes in some way (writing or audio, for example?) – so that an appropriate person could take over to some extent if necessary. I certainly wish Mark a long and healthy life, but clearly there’s a signficant possibility that he may die before he completes all the volumes himself.
And in the end
The love you take is equal to the love you make
1.50am
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1 May 2011
Offline Richard said
I hope Mark Lewisohn is, at least, keeping detailed notes in some way (writing or audio, for example?) – so that an appropriate person could take over to some extent if necessary. I certainly wish Mark a long and healthy life, but clearly there’s a signficant possibility that he may die before he completes all the volumes himself.
There is a significant possibility we all will be dead before he completes all the volumes.
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Richard"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
11.16am
17 June 2021
Offline I have finally finished reading the extended edition. I have learned facts which I didn’t even know about before e.g. John worked as a kitchen assistant at the Liverpool Airport and that they were the first musical act to bring Tamla (Motown) into the mass British audience while Pete was still in the group. Amazing stuff! I knew Ringo started work on Don’t Pass Me By way before 1968, but I didn’t know it began in 1962.
Sometimes, while I was reading it, I felt like I was discovering The Beatles all over again, being part of the Cavern audience and hoping for them to do very well in the hit parade.
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Richard, Ahhh Girl, KyleKartan, TimothyWinner of Most Hardcore Beatles Bible Fan 2021
6.06am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline Here’s how long the bugger has been at it… from The Beatles Book Monthly, June 1969…
His address is most likely out of date now. 
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Rube, Ahhh Girl, Richard, Von Bontee"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
12.38pm
17 June 2021
Offline I noticed that when I was reading all 77 issues in 2020.
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2.33pm
11 September 2018
Offline Rube said
I have finally finished reading the extended edition. I have learned facts which I didn’t even know about before e.g. John worked as a kitchen assistant at the Liverpool Airport and that they were the first musical act to bring Tamla (Motown) into the mass British audience while Pete was still in the group. Amazing stuff! I knew Ringo started work on Don’t Pass Me By way before 1968, but I didn’t know it began in 1962.Sometimes, while I was reading it, I felt like I was discovering The Beatles all over again, being part of the Cavern audience and hoping for them to do very well in the hit parade.
I have, this afternoon, finished reading the extended edition; it only took me four months. I would never read 1,500+ pages about a subject other than the Beatles. The book was exhausting, exhilarating and entertaining – and I loved every moment of it.
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